“Sitting in the carriage with your parents. I went on thinking of you…”
Neither of us spoke for some time. I was thinking of him in a cart, being taken to some place, and the crowd looking on while they strung him up by his neck. I had never witnessed a public hanging, but one of the servants had. She had come from London and seen it at Tyburn. She had given a graphic description.
That must not be the fate of Romany Jake.
I turned to him impulsively. “You must get away from here as soon as it is dark. I’ll bring you some food. Go to the east coast…”
“There is food here in the pantries. I was sure Dolly would not grudge me that. Where is the old lady? Has she gone with Dolly?”
“She died. She was horrified because Dolly was going to have a baby. She went out into the snow and was out all night. It killed her.”
He put his hand to his head. “So that is something else I have to answer for.”
“We all have to answer for all sorts of things.”
“How wise you are and how lucky I am to have your friendship. It is an unusual story. The lady of the manor befriending a poor gypsy who is running from the law.”
“There have been stranger stories. There is that one you sing about the lady who left home to join the gypsies.”
“You have not gone so far as that!”
The hall was suddenly illuminated by lightning which was immediately followed by a clap of thunder.
“I thought that one was for us,” he said.
“As soon as the storm is over I must go back. They’ll be wondering where I am.”
“They wouldn’t expect you to be walking through the storm.”
“No.”
“So we are safe for a little while.”
“Tell me about the gypsies,” I said. “It seems such a strange life for a man like you.”
“I’ll tell you a secret. I’m not a gypsy, born and bred. I joined them two years ago because I wanted a life on the open road. I had never liked the restricted life. I wanted my freedom. I could have had an easy life… slept in my goose-feather bed … sat down at table and feasted like a lord. This is the story over again. This is not the lady who left her home to follow the gypsies; but the man who left the family home to join them.”
“Why did you do that?”
“I quarrelled with my brother. He is fifteen years older than I. As our parents were dead he was in a sense my guardian—and I was a rebel. I ran away from school; I consorted with the menials on the estate. I made their grievances my concern; and after a serious family quarrel I realized that I did not want to go on doing things just because that was the way they had been done for hundreds of years. I wanted to be free … my own man. I did not want to obey a lot of social laws which seemed absurd to me, so I joined the gypsies. They have accepted me and some of the best friends I ever had are among them. I cut myself off completely from the old life. There were no regrets I believe on either side. My brother was relieved to be rid of one who brought nothing but trouble. It was just that I cannot endure being shut in whether it be by iron bars or conventions.”
“I understand.”
“Well, now this could be the ignoble end of a useless life.”
“Don’t say that,” I cried. “In any case it wasn’t useless for Leah. You saved her, remember. And this is not going to be the end. You can get out of the country. Get to Harwich. I am sure you will be able to get across to Holland. You have the horse.”
“I took the liberty of putting him in the stables. I fed and watered him there. He is resting … ready for the long ride to Heaven knows where.”
“You must get to Harwich. Take the byways. They would not think of looking for you along the east coast. You’d have a good chance there.”
“I’ll leave when it is dark. Can I trust you to tell no one I am here?”
“Of course.”
“I hope to lie in hiding for a while until the hue and cry has died down.”
“Leave tonight,” I said; and I added: “I shall be thinking of you.”
“That gives me comfort, a determination to succeed, and when you are older I shall have so much to tell you.”
“Tell me now. I hate waiting.”
“I hate waiting too … but this will have to wait.”
We sat in silence for a while. Then I noticed that there had been no thunder for some little time and that the heavy rain had ceased.
“I must go,” I said reluctantly. “They mustn’t know that I have been here. Goodbye. Good luck. You are safe here for the rest of the day.”
“I will be watchful… and leave as soon as darkness falls. Thank you, my dear little girl. I shall think of you constantly … my beautiful young benefactress.”
He took my face in his hands and tenderly kissed my forehead. I felt very emotional. I wanted to do so much for him; but there was nothing I could do but remain silent.
I went across the hall. I stood at the door for a moment looking back, smiling at him.
I felt frightened suddenly, wondering if that was the last I should see of Romany Jake.
When I arrived home there was great consternation. Where had I been? My mother had sent the carriage over to Enderby to bring me back.
“Dear Mother,” I said, “I am not made of sugar.”
“And then we learned that you had already left.”
“I sheltered.”
She felt the sleeve of my gown. “It’s damp,” she announced. “Get it off at once. Where is Miss Rennie? Oh, Miss Rennie, see that Jessica puts her feet in a hot mustard bath at once.”
“Certainly Mrs. Frenshaw.”
I protested. “Really, this is absurd. I’m just a little wet.” And I was thinking, They sent the carriage over. Suppose someone had seen me go into Grasslands? Suppose they had come and found him?
I felt sick at the thought.
I must protect him.
I sat in my dry gown holding it above my knees while my feet were immersed in the hot mustard bath. Miss Rennie filled it again with hot water, when she thought it was getting a little cold.
“You should have stayed at Enderby. You could have come home in the carriage.”
“Such a fuss …”
How was he faring? Nobody else would call at the house this day and by nightfall he would be off.
I could not get out of my mind the horrible thought of his hanging by a rope. It must never be.
My mother came into the bedroom to see if her instructions were being carried out. She herself dried my feet, and while she was doing so there was the sound of voices below. She looked out of the window.
“It’s a stranger,” she said. “Oh, there’s your father. They’re talking earnestly together. I daresay this will mean a guest for dinner. I’ll go down and see. Now put on your stockings quickly. You’ll be heated from the mustard. You don’t want to catch cold.”
“Really, Mother,” I protested. “All this because of a little rain.”
“I don’t want you in bed with a cold. I have enough to do without that.”
In a way it was pleasant to be looked after and made to feel precious.
Then my thoughts were back with Romany Jake.
I went downstairs to see who had arrived. The whole family were gathered there with my father and mother. Claudine, David and Amaryllis. They were talking excitedly.
My father said: “This is my daughter Jessica. Jessica, this is Mr. Frederick Forby.”
Mr. Forby bowed and my father went on: “Do you remember the gypsy they called Romany Jake?”
I felt dizzy. I hoped I did not show how shaken I was.
“Mr. Forby is looking for him. We have to be on the watch.”
“Romany Jake?” I repeated.
“I thought he might come this way,” said Mr. Forby to my father. “We’re going to all the old haunts and I believe they were here last year.”
“Yes,” said my mother. “It was October. I remember they were at the Trafalgar bonfire.”